Dissolving the Layers in Genetics and Epigenetics with Dr. Adrian BirdMay 1, 2013Dr. Adrian Bird discusses the dissolving barrier between genetics and epigenetics and why he’s cautious about linking epigenetics in heredity. Dissolving the Layers in Genetics and Epigenetics I think what’s most exciting about the field at the moment is that a field called epigenetics is no longer really outside of biology trying to get […]
microRNAs Up Their Game: They Regulate Other microRNAs in the HeartApril 30, 2013Just when you think you’ve got a handle on microRNAs, they go and up their game—regulating other microRNAs to produce large effects. To be accurate, they’ve been doing this all along, but now a talented research crew at Wash U School of Medicine of medicine is on to their game and has shared their findings […]
Dynamic RNA Methylation Emerges as New Player in the Epigenetic LandscapeApril 29, 2013Methylation is a hot topic in the field of epigenetics whether it’s occurring on the cytosines of DNA or its histone protein friends. With a relatively well-known set of enzymes, methylation marks are dynamically modified in order to regulate gene expression. However, the revisiting of a RNA modification discovered in the 70’s has come to […]
SCANning Single Molecules to Pinpoint Co-Occurrence of Epigenetic MarksApril 24, 2013Just because two people live on the same street doesn’t necessarily mean they live that close to each other or in the same house, yet that’s what you often have to assume when using ChIP to detect epigenetic modifications. Either that, or you have to use tons of sample and/or a labor-intensive method to figure […]
Epigenetic Mechanisms in AutismApril 24, 2013Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to related neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in reciprocal communication and social interactions, coupled with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities. Because ASD tends to run in families, much effort has been spent on genetic analyses to identify genetic variations that either cause or elevate risk for […]
